Anatinae

The Anatinae is one of the subfamilies of the family Anatidae, which includes the swans, geese and ducks. (See Anatidae for an overview of this group of birds.)

The Anatinae subfamily contains three groups of ducks:

• perching ducks 19 species in 15 genera .
• dabbling ducks 40 species of in 2 genera: the monotypic Marmaronetta (Marbled Duck[?]) may more correctly be numbered among the pochards. The remaining 40-odd species are all part of the genus Anas, which includes wigeons, gadwalls, the true teals, pintails, mallards, and blue-winged ducks[?].
• diving ducks or pochards. 16 or 17 species in 3 or 4 genera, depending whether Marbled Duck[?] is included: Netta (3 species), Aythya (12 species), and Rhodonessa (the recently extinct Pink-headed Duck[?] of India).

The other duck groups are:

• Dendrocygninae: the whistling ducks.
• Oxyurinae: stiff-tail ducks and Freckled Duck
• Merginae: eiders, scoters, sawbills and other sea-ducks.